Saka Light Cavalry

Sunday, 17 May 2015

Triples The Buys and Bye-bye?

I hark back to when Triples was the show that kicked off the show season and it did it in style. Like many I have fond memories of Triples, we used to go on a Sunday as it was easier to park. First one I went to was at a Hotel before the move to the Octagon so I have a long association to the show. Whilst many really liked the old venue I was not 100% in favour of it and certainly was not sold on keeping the show where it was. I have now been to the new site for the last four years and the numbers seem to have been dropping steadily. We could not make it yesterday so expected a low turn out, especially with the weather. However the Saturday was just as slack as the Sunday and feedback at the show and afterwards on Facebook it's not been the show it needs to be.

Talk was that it costs the same to rent the Institute for two days as it does for one, that may be but having such a thin run of punters means it feels empty and the traders look bored, very bored. The only reason I can say for keeping it as a two day show is the competition games, if they can be condensed to a one day competition I think they should consider it.

I was also told they plan to move the show back to March which moves it from between Salute and Partisan but it does move it close to York's show so it's still not the best solution but one I feel is not a bad move. Triples clashed with a Si-Fi show so maybe lost some visitors to that but I think given the number of shows we now have in the calendar it's just becoming too crowded. The question may be which shows shrink or disappear? The answer could be quite shocking as staple shows may loose out to the odd new kid on the block. One thing is for sure and that is that many of the traders who have to travel long distances are going to find it harder and harder to justify the trip. Watch out for the traders who start to offer a on line discount for purchases made the weekend of shows they no longer attend. THAT could be a very interesting development that could see them make far more money by not attending than if they did.

Most of the money I spent at the show was spent as soon as I walked through the door at the Baccus stand. I picked up the pre-ordered four packs of pike and added to these two packs of companion cavalry, this will make my 6mm Hail Caesar army a viable concern. I also bought NFR35 Animated French infantry and NFR37 the excellent Imperial HQ aka My Little Ogre. So my Napoleonic French finally get a Napoleon for my complex. The only new Baccus French I don't have is the casualty pack which I plan to pick up at Partisan. Last off was a pack of British Light Dragoons that my son needs for his Peninsular army.

Next stop was Magister Militum where I broke the bank on one pack of Persian Command allowing me to have four Hail Caesar divisions. This may be short sided and I should have bought another command pack due to my buying yet more Persian cavalry in the coming month. Last up was one more Kontos armed cavalry (this time Seleucid) for my Macedonian army/s as I am a bit short on cavalry units. I still think I need more but can pick more up at a later date along with yet more pike as I rate their pike above all others. I have the figures for two more pike blocks that are not MM but will do as I already have them.

The Hail Caesar vibe continued with a trip to Warbases to buy a couple of packs of bases. Pill shaped for 20mm skirmishers and 60x40 bases for my 6mm army. It's always good to have a chat with Martin, I have watched his company grow from a small stand at Partisan (first time I came across them) to what they are today and look to expand to. It's a nice guy business but my dealings with all concerned makes me think they are stand outs amongst a crowd of nice guys.

I also bought 60 7mm dice 40 in ivory and 20 in red, again surprise surprise for Hail Caesar, the ivory to show points of damage and the red to show they are shattered. This is going to be especially useful when playing with the 6mm armies as they will really stand out and help keep tabs on divisions that are close to being broken. They will also get use in our Napoleonic's instead of beads for cohesion loss and for trying out the Naps with Command & Color combat system. Only issue is that I need more :-)

I also bought two paints, Crimson and Silver but have managed to loose these somewhere along the way, never mind. My son had a great time, bought a lot of various figures but only got the one game in, the storming of Sword Beach in which they won the day but he returned home tired but happy. That makes two of us :-)

23 comments:

A very nice haul Ian!!We used to go to Triples when it was at the Octagon, we tried it once after the move. Somehow it'd lost its appeal for us, on reading comment about the show everyone was banging on how excellent it was that they sold beer there!! For Gods sake!!

I'm not sure what shows I'll be going to over the rest of the year. Depending on how I feel, I might go to Broadside in June, but it's a long trip for a small show. Later in the year I might go to Colours - again a long trip, but the show is (or used to be) bigger with more traders. However, most of the same traders will be at SELWG a couple of weeks later so...

When I left the hobby all those years ago I had got a little bored with the shows, and I still am not raring to go when they come round. The best bit is meeting up with fellow gamers and I give the display and participation games hardly a look.

I'm, personally, of the opinion that the calendar is too overcrowded now. Middlesbrough has only the one show now (run by Pendraken Miniatures) but only because the planned for second show (different organisers) fell through due to lack of show-goer interest and poor sales from the year before. As it is Old Glory are talking of pulling out of the Boro show (due to poor takings and no alcohol! Seriously), but on the flip-side the newest show in the Darlington-Middlesbrough area (Stand To at Shildon) is looking like doubling in size from the tiny show it was last year as the free entrance fee and walk-in public footfall was very good and the interest shown in the event by everyone (including the Army) was high. It helped that this show was held at a Railway Museum, so there was the cross-over hobbyists and enthusiasts. I'm now curious to see what Partizan will be like, as I've not been in near a decade.

So two out of the first three posts have booze as part of the theme. I agree with you and Ray, what's the need with the beer?

Stand To sounds a good show and nice to hear it's doing well.

Only real difference with Partisan is that it has started to allow 6mm a foot in the door for the display games. It keeps that nice feel about it. Really would be good to get to it again this year myself.

Nice haul mate... I bet your bank account is suffering from a serious case of lead poisoning!! The Wargame Show Calender is a bit busy but I think each caters to a different audience, largely geographical in nature. For instance I do six or seven regular shows every year and all of these are in the South East. My next one will be Broadside (the Rejects are putting on a Demo game again this year) then it'll probably be SELWG in October.

No real money was harmed in the process of buying, I used stunt money (Birthday)

The theme of most negative comments about Triples is that it's lost it's theme. It used to be a big competition game show but that part is shunted out the way and has shrunk by quite a lot. I would hate to see the show disappear or the loss of the competition games but it either needs to add something to the show or downsize the venue to regain a buzz. I originally liked the idea of moving back to March but would visit Hamerhead over Triples if forced.

I've been going to Triples for more years than I care to remember both as a Trader and as a demo gamer. This year as a Trader, I have to say it was awful. It just never seemed to get going, the Saturday was ok for the first couple of hours and then nothing! I was at Falkirk last week and the show was buzzing nearly all day it felt good and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I think if this show is to survive there's a lot of hard thinking to do.The move to March I feel is debateable you now have Hammerhead and the Alumwell show on the two weekends prior to the new date. I'm not certain if I will go next year which will feel odd.

I don't think the weather helped, hard to go to a show if your Mrs or the kids have another idea. I was not expecting it to be busy so it was no shock but I could have saved plenty of money and ordered stuff. Met up with a few folk though which for me is the main attraction these days.

I think if it had more buzz we would have got more out of it as we would have stayed longer. However I thought it was 4.30 when it was 2.30! Not that several participation games and one trader were packing up at 3pm helped!

Great write up Ian. As you know, this was the first Triples i have missed in about 25 years.I felt the same about last years show as you guys are saying about this years.It's really aad to see this happening.I doubt the move to march would make much of a difference.I for one would go to Hammerhead as I think the buzz there was excellent this year.I agree that Triples seems to have lost its way and it's soul.It really needs to be a single day now.The committee really needs to face reality and admit they are not the super northern show they once were.They need to do something and quick begore Triples disappears from the gamers calendar.

The shock will be when a mix of traders saying no thanks and the returns at the gate netting them a loss. Their move to £6 will not help it next year when the likes of me go to other shows where parking is free and admission is lower. If it had something about it I would happy pay the fee but it's offering less and charging more than others so it's easy to miss

Nice write up. I actually went to Triples with my young minion and it was my very first one there so I have no idea what it used to be like. I can say though that the Saturday morning didn't seem too bad, but the day did seem a bit flat, no enthusiasm or great vibe. Both me and the minion had great fun though on the few games we played especially the Pirates game and wings of war/glory. Mainly the day was all about catching up with friends like Karl and Morgan in the Crooked Dice stall and Andy at Ainsty. Not the best show and after a 2 hour drive from Cambridge a bit disappointing.

I saw the pirate game but never lingered. If you like participation games then you really need to go to Hammerhead, every game is a participation game. I missed it this year but want to catch it next year